I'm Tmobile, and would welcome something to lower my bill. Not sure this is going to be the magic bullet that makes that happen, though.

My small business plan already gets me everything I need (including texting) for less. No good for me unfortunately.

I'm on a family plan through T-Mobile that's $50 a month for 400 anytime minutes.. does this mean we'd pay the same amount for unlimited minutes? Or does this not apply to family plans.

@batsy: No, you'd pay $90 for the family plan for unlimited minutes.

$90 for a family plan? Blech. My wife and I pay around $70 for two lines on the same account. Do they mean family as in three kids?

Give me a reason to switch and I'll drop Verizon like a... like a... (insert funny simile here).

I got a robo-call message from T-Mobile earlier today about this. I'm already on a family plan that my mom pays for, so I can't take up the offer now, but it will probably be good for some people.

@hypnotik_jello: Oh. Screw that.

@GuinevereRucker: Funny... I've always said give me a reason to switch to Verizon, and I'll drop T-Mobile like a... something.

@batsy: I just renewed my contract, and I "threatened" to switch to another company. I'm bad at negotiations, but they gave me a new phone, one-year contract instead of two, and a $50 credit. I was happy enough!

@GuinevereRucker: It's almost time for a new phone for me and I really don't want to get another two year contract. My phones never last two years.

I can attest to this as I was paying my t-mobile bill yesterday a nice screen popped up with the promo. Now I have unlimited nationwide calls for $49.99. Yippee!

So, which is better, T-mobile with a two year contract or AT&T without contract and a 20% corp discount?

This is a smart move on T-Mobile's part. T-Mobile has a much smaller nationwide network than Verizon, AT&T and Sprint- all of which now offer unlimited plans. (Sprint is so desperate to unload the old Nextel iDEN system, their "Boost" MVNO is offering unlimited Paygo for $50 a month for voice, text, data and walkie-talkie service.)

T-Mobile has very limited off-network domestic roaming compared to the other national carriers, and a plan like this might keep their customers from churning, especially to alternative carriers such as Boost, Metro PCS, Cricket, etc who all offer 50 dollar unlimited plans (though they are all pre-paid services and the T-Mo plan is post paid contract to get these loyalty offers.)

T-Mobile really seems to be reaching out with no-contract plans, FlexPay and now this to get and retain their customers. When I had them they were superb on the service side. They just don't have the footprint and domestic roaming, so I ported to Verizon. But I sure do miss being able to use unlocked phones.
(this is but a pipe dream in the walled garden world of CDMA)

@batsy: yea...paying more to get more is stupid!

Family plans starting at $90? I am so glad I'm grandfathered into a TMobile family plan. 500 minutes (average monthly use-300 mins) for $49.99 with unlimited texting for $10 (total, not each). Total bill after taxes: $72 a month for two phones and unlimited texting. Granted, we can't get new discounted phones, but it's easy enough to buy them for cheap on Amazon.com.

@wesa: First off all this doesn't replace any existing plans of offerings. Its gives you the option if your an existing T-Mobile customer to switch to an unlimited plan for $49.99 and $39.99 every line after that. Unlimited is quite a bit more than 500 minutes. I have that 500 $49.99 plan as well, and yes you CAN upgrade phones or add lines without changing your $49.99 grandfathered plan. I did that last November for two of the lines and as soon as there is a good Windows Mobile phone with T-Mobile 3G i'm getting that for the other two lines.

@batsy: You're stupid.

We can't afford 90 bucks a month for minutes we don't really need. It would be nice to have a buffer in case we go over the 400 minutes, but we really don't need it.

Paying more when you don't have to is stupid.

Instead of speculating about T Mobile and putting up bad news about sprint, how about a story about the new sprint discounts for the new "Sprint Premier"

Hmm, I don't know. I used to do customer service for T-Mobile; that screen looks a lot like the plans we'd offer customers who'd been with us a while who specifically called and asked us about cheaper plans, or people who threatened to cancel. I'd be surprised if they were actively offering them to people, because we were never allowed to whisper a word of them unless people asked us first. But this was a few years ago, so who knows.

@batsy: I agree with you. I'm grandfathered in at the same plan as you. We never hit 400 minutes because we mainly call each other and T-mobile to T-mobile minutes don't count towards the 400 minutes in the plan and they're unlimited.

Well, seeing as how the standard cost for an unlimited family plan is $150/mo, that's actually a pretty good deal. Having returned to T-Mobile after a sojourn back to AT&T/Cingular and Verizon, I'm pretty happy with my service. Yeah, the network's not the biggest or the fanciest, but I may definitely consider jumping to the discounted unlimited plan when the time comes to re-up.

Also helps that the discount I get through my office covers EVERYTHING (minutes, text AND data) as opposed to only the phone plan via Verizon or not all all with AT&T.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--T-Mobile USA is offering existing customers in San Francisco a $50 flat-rate calling plan in the latest illustration of tightening prices in the industry.
The No. 4 U.S. wireless carrier, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG (DT), began offering the plan Wednesday to customers who have been with T-Mobile USA for 22 months or more. It's the first return salvo aimed at Sprint Nextel Corp.'s (S) Boost Unlimited, which last month unveiled its own $50 flat-rate plan. The two may ultimately drive down prices for carriers seeking low-end users.
"That's one heck of a competitive price," said Roger Entner, head of telecom research at Nielsen Co. "At least with the weaker ones, that might be what they have to do."
Still, because of the restriction on the offering, the plan isn't expected to undermine the $100 price point which has become the standard for unlimited plans among the major carriers.
"Basically, this is a retention tool," Entner said. "No one's going to pick a carrier for something they can get in 22 months."
T-Mobile USA won't comment on test market activities, according to spokeswoman Cara Walker.
But T-Mobile USA stores in San Francisco are actively pushing the plan, including calling up and alerting customers.
Customers won't have to extend their contract when they switch, although they'll have to honor the terms of the existing contract. The plan is for individuals and only includes unlimited calling.
Boost Mobile shook up the industry by offering a flat-rate $50 plan, which includes unlimited calling, text messages, Web surfing and walkie-talkie service. Boost's main targets are Leap Wireless International Inc. (LEAP) and MetroPCS Inc. (PCS), which offer similar unlimited plans but with regional restrictions. Sprint also saw T-Mobile USA as vulnerable to cherry-picking.

Not surprising, with the alternative cellular options out there, such as Cricket ($33/Month per phone for unlimited talk, text, voicemail, long distance etc.) and Boost Mobile ($50/month for unlimited talk, text, walkie talkie, voicemail, long distance, etc.).

They're probably loosing quite a bit of market share to these alternative carriers. I know my wife and I switched from T-Mobile to Cricket outselves about 2 years ago, as T-Mobile pissed us off (were customers for about 8 years, never asked 'em for anything until that last year when we wanted to upgrade our phones, so we went in and asked them for 2 new (Free or discounted) phones. We told 'em we had already been with 'em for 8 years and didn't care if they had to put us on a 2-year contract for the new ones or whatever, we were just tired of the old Nokia "Brick" phones we had and wanted two new phones. They said sorry, free or discounted phones were only for new customers. Showed me they didn't care about keeping customers, just getting new ones.

Nice to see that's changing, but it's too late for us.

@310Drew:

Uhh...because Sprint is practically trying to lose customers, while T.Mo is rewarding their loyal users?

Than and Sue Nokes doesn't have the ego of Sprint's execs - she wouldn't be caught dead parading herself on a cobblestone street pretending she's the reason the company exists.

This doesn't seem very good? I only have 400 plan minutes but I have a stack of "loyalty minutes" they give you when you renew your contract plus unlimited in-network calling and free nights and weekends. I rarely use any of my actual minutes, and I pay less for 2 lines + Internet than I would for one line on one of these plans.

@Southern:
doesn't sound right, I've gotten a couple of discounted/free phones via upgrade, been with them 6 years... sounds like you might have gone into a shady ass authorized dealer instead of a corporate store... or dealt with someone lazy

t-mobile from voicestream from powertel so I have had the freakin thing from 1998 or so. I get 1500 minutes w/ free night/weekend for $50 plus added the $6 text msg deal and then get 50 loyalty minutes per month. It would be nice if my ex-wife (who I call to talk to my sons), 2nd wife, and family all had the same freakin services but all of the folks are spread between sprint, boost, cingular.

Only recently got a land line again. As for 1500 minutes, in 2006-2007 when I was looking for a job, cell minutes can get jammed quickly with 1 hour long phone interviews or talking to multiple headhunters in a month.

I will look into this plan.

@Southern: I want to say that you probably got a bad egg in their customer service or went to a dorky reseller. When ex-wife and I were together on T-mobile with 1 year contracts on each number, I would upgrade one of our phones per year which extended the contract one year more on that number and then would swap sim cards and give her the new phone and I would get the hand me down phone. Then I would do the same the next year on the other number so they saw that they only gave a new phone per number every two years.

I just called CC to ask about this and the rep confirmed it just launched in San Francisco but with wider availability available in March based on its success in the SF market.

@RedwoodFlyer: Sprint is trying to lose customers by coming out with the new Sprint Premier program? Sprint is trying to lose customers with the simply everything plan ?

Sprint did have the balls to show some customers the door. Those were not the customers you want to keep around. Those were the customers that will help your ship sink.

No thanks. We already have a $49.99 family plan with 600 minutes a month. If I wanted to pay twice that, We'd switch to metropcs.

@310Drew: Ok Drew, I'll bite... Here's the way I see sprint. If I weren't on the 30 buck SERO plan, I'd be gone. I've been happy as a clam with the sero plan, but I have a feeling that when I get around to wanting a Palm Pre, there is going to be some horrendous customer service/billing catastrophe waiting for me. That's just what I expect.

Sadly, a cheaper plan doesn't make my crappy T-mobile phone turn into an iPhone.

Mightycow - you can use an iphone on the tmobile network as long as it's unlocked - and yes these plans are only offered now to customers in the san fran markets - but they can't be delinquent and have had a decent tenure with the country. Additional plans are in the works to be offered due to the success of the promo in the san fran markets - another amazing thing about these plans is you don't have to extend your contract when you sign up for them - just a little fyi - there are also new phone promos in the works as well to accompany these plans - getting a discounted phone however, would put you in a new contract.

I have been with T-Mobile for 5 years and have had the best customer service from them.

recently I needed a Blackberry and when I threatened to leave because the price they originally quoted was too high, they gave my the curve for $70. Yes it's an old model, but it gets the job done.

And I have 1500 minutes for $39.99 from a promotion several years ago. I just wish they had the technology (3G, better choice of handsets) but they're coming around. I honestly have no reason to switch since they've been so good to me.

@Mina_da_mad_child: I've got that same plan, actually. I added their data plan with my G1 and it's been really nice. the 3G coverage has been nice (in ATL) and EDGE is still plenty fast for me.

I pay $39.99 plus $4.99 a month for 1000 anytime plus nights/weekends and a text plan which I believe is 400txt 400sms a month. Out the door it's $47 on average. But I have been a t-mobile customer since 2004.

I'm a current TMo customer and got sent an invitation for a survey for "loyalty programs" last month. The reduced price for length of time with them was one of the options they put forward in that survey. There was a lot of really crappy ideas in there too so I'm glad this one might be the winner.

I've been with TMo for I think 6 years and I've never had a problem with their service. I can't speak too much to the customer service side since I've never had to call them. I've had to send a couple of email requests for information and those were answered pretty promptly I think.

@chiieddy: Likewise, though our bill almost hits $100 when you add in two 400 SMS packages ($5 each) my Blackberry Unlimited Data ($20) and her T-zones ($6) and the ever-present taxes and fees (~$10).

@undefined: I hope they go a bit retro because not even a month ago I switched from verizon to tmobile and I ported my number.

@batsy: Call and negotiate with them. Say you want to cancel your account because you found a better deal elsewhere (you can actually do this if you want) and they will give you a deal! As I said, they let me have a one-year contract instead of two with a free phone. I hate contracts.

@GuinevereRucker: @batsy: Here's something they don't tell you, but almost all cell phone companies offer 1 year contracts- they just don't advertise them. The only way to get the one-year is either over the phone or at an official store. I always call for a one-year plan. This ensures that every year I qualify for a discounted phone instead of having to wait 2 years like everyone else. Almost all phones have a manufacturer's one year warranty, so basically my phone is always on warranty. Now I don't automatically renew my contract when the year is up- I only ever do so if my phone breaks and I need a new one at a cheaper price, or if there is a cool new phone I want to buy. Expect to pay $50 more for a phone then you would for the 2 year contract but it's totally worth it to not have to be locked in for two years and possibly having to pay up the nose for a new phone in a year and a half when your phone breaks and you still have 6 months left on your contract.

@batsy: Haha, I just realized that I accidentally replied to myself instead of xtc46.

@GuinevereRucker: I would, except that there aren't any better deals elsewhere - we have a "grandfather" plan that is cheaper than pretty much every other big carrier, and I wouldn't want to lie to get a deal. We could go with a smaller company, but we like to actually get service in most areas.

@econobiker:
wow I got on with voicestream immediately after they had bought powertel, wish I could have gotten one of those older better plans but if the $50 unlimited goes nationwide that will do.

@MightyCow:
which one do you have? the G1 isn't quite the same (and it shouldn't be anyways) but it offers a lot of the features and potentially more capability overall; an all touch G2 is supposed to be on the way as well

This is great news. I pay only a few bucks less for a MyFaves 300 plan, so why not take the plunge and get unlimited minutes?

Good stuff by T-Mizzle.

Years ago, I stumbled on a T-Mo promo family rate of $50/1000 minutes between 2 phones. I'm never letting that deal go, and considering the alternatives, I'm probably never leaving T-Mo (thanks iPhone Dev Team, btw!!). None of these deals are going to help me, specifically, but I'm happy to see that they are offering something to their customers-- even if T-Mo is still the cheapest mobile service out there...